What Are the Health Benefits of Eating Sweet Potatoes or Yams?

by Sara Ipatenco

Sweet potatoes and yams look similar.

Sweet potatoes and yams are often used interchangeably in recipes, and many people don't realize there are significant nutritional differences between the two foods. While both are good for you, sweet potatoes contain higher doses of most nutrients. If you like the taste of yams more than sweet potatoes, don't kick them out of your diet; they are still a highly nutritious food.

Fiber

Most diets don't get close to the 20 to 35 grams of fiber recommended for health, the Harvard School of Public Health reports. Fiber helps you digest your food properly, which can cut your chances of getting constipated or developing hemorrhoids. When you eat fiber regularly, you are also less likely to get heart disease and certain types of cancer. A 1-cup serving of sweet potatoes supplies 6.6 grams of fiber and a cup of yams provides 5.3 grams.

Nutrients

One cup of sweet potatoes supplies 950 milligrams of potassium, and a cup of yams contains 911 milligrams, which is about 20 percent of the 4,700 milligrams you should get each day. Potassium keeps your heart beating normally and helps your muscles work right. A serving of sweet potatoes supplies 1,922 micrograms of vitamin A, a nutrient that keeps your eyes, skin, teeth and bones healthy. This is more than the 700 to 900 micrograms you need on a daily basis. Yams contain vitamin A, but a serving only supplies a trace amount. Sweet potatoes and yams contain vitamin C and iron, two nutrients that you need for a strong immune system, and folate, which can prevent certain birth defects.

Health Benefits

Sweet potatoes and yams contain antioxidants, which are compounds in plants that protect your cells from damage. A 2008 study published in the "Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture" reports that sweet potatoes might reduce cholesterol levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease. Yams have similar properties that can help reduce your risk of heart disease. The antioxidants and vitamin B6 in yams can also help reduce premenstrual symptoms, according to Michael T. Murray, author of "The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods."

Eating Sweet Potatoes and Yams

Replace your usual baked potato with a baked sweet potato and you'll get more fiber and vitamin A. Add cubes of sweet potato to soup or stew or roast the cubes with olive oil and minced garlic for a tasty and nutritious side dish. Stir pureed sweet potatoes into bread or muffin recipes or add it to a bowl of oatmeal. Slice yams and saute them in olive oil with minced onions or grill the slices for a side dish that complements the flavor of grilled steak. Combine cooked yam cubes with jalapenos and lime juice and use the mixture to top cooked chicken breasts.

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About the Author

Sara Ipatenco has taught writing, health and nutrition. She started writing in 2007 and has been published in Teaching Tolerance magazine. Ipatenco holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in education, both from the University of Denver.

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